


Let The Braid One In

by Kiraly



Category: Stand Still Stay Silent
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Vampire, F/M, Fluff and Crack, Kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-30
Updated: 2016-10-30
Packaged: 2018-08-27 20:59:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8416522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiraly/pseuds/Kiraly
Summary: Reynir doesn't *seem* like an evil creature of darkness. But then, how else can he explain the pale skin, garlic allergy, and oh, yeah...the fangs?
Completely silly vampire AU, just in time for Halloween.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I don't even like vampires very much, why did I write this? I don't know, but I blame Yuuago for giving me the idea, and also my silly brain for taking that idea and running with it.
> 
> Anyway, happy (early) Halloween, enjoy this bit of silliness!

“Is this all right?”

“Mmm.” Reynir shifted a little to one side to avoid the patch of sun on the edge of Tuuri’s pillow. “Yeah, this is good.”

“Good.” She lowered her head for a kiss, smiling against his mouth. After a moment she drew back a little and murmured, “I don’t think that tiny bit of sun is  _ really  _ going to burn you, though. Even redheads aren’t that sensitive.”

Reynir wasn’t inclined to argue, not when their mouths could be put to better use. All the same, he was glad she had the blinds mostly closed. Partly because he wouldn’t want someone witnessing their current...activity...through her dorm room window, but also because...well. He really  _ did  _ burn easily. And with the way Tuuri was playing with the hem of his shirt, he suspected— hoped— that in short order he’d have a lot of skin exposed.

“I’ll show you how sensitive I can be,” he said, stretching up for another kiss that made both of them shiver. Reynir trailed his mouth down, planting kisses on Tuuri’s cheek, chin, throat. When he reached the place where her neck met her shoulder, he let his lips linger...and bit down, ever-so-gently. At Tuuri’s moan, he did it again, harder this time. A wave of sensation rushed through him, urging him to do  _ more,  _ go  _ harder—  _

“Ow! Hey, no!” Tuuri jerked away, clapping a hand to her neck. “What the hell?”

“I’m sorry!” Reynir pulled away too, breathing hard. “I didn’t mean to hurt you! I thought you’d be into it, but I guess I just got carried away—”

_ “Into it?!  _ You mean into your  _ fangs?!”  _

“Fangs? That’s a little harsh, my front teeth aren’t  _ that  _ big. I’m really sorry that I bit you, but...but...oh.” He realized that Tuuri was staring as he talked, and that something about his mouth felt...different. He prodded one of his canine teeth— and hastily pulled his hand back, because it was  _ pointy.  _ Like a…

“Fang.” Tuuri said. She took a deep, shuddering breath. “You have fangs. You’re a  _ vampire!  _ How could I not have noticed it before? I can’t believe we’ve been dating all these months and you didn’t tell me! Did you think I couldn’t handle it? Or was this your plan all along, to get close and then  _ bite  _ me?”

Reynir opened his mouth, couldn’t get any words out, closed it, then opened it again when the unfamiliar fangs pricked his bottom lip. “I...have fangs. How...how do I have fangs? I didn’t have them this morning! I don’t...I’m not supposed to…” He scrambled off the bed and lunged for the mirror by Tuuri’s closet. Thankfully, he still had a reflection, though it seemed a little blurry. But there was no question: his canines were now long, sharp points of enamel, unmistakable for anything but fangs. “I don’t...understand.”

Tuuri’s reflection joined his in the mirror. “You didn’t know?”

“How would I have known? Nothing like  _ this  _ has ever happened! And I’m completely normal in every other way.” He frowned, remembering what Tuuri had said about ‘not noticing before’. “Aren’t I?”

“Well...there were some hints,” she said. She laid a hand on his arm. “Come back and sit down. You look like you’re going to fall over, you’re so pale. Well...even paler than usual, I mean.”

Reynir sat, and Tuuri sat beside him. “That should have been my first clue, honestly. You’re so pale under those freckles, and you  _ do  _ burn more easily than anyone else I know.”

“Well yeah, but that’s because I’m a ginger. Mom says it’s a curse.”

Tuuri narrowed her eyes. “Does she. Well, that’s not the only thing. You’re also ‘allergic’ to garlic—”

“Lots of people have food allergies—”

“And you eat all your meat as rare as you can get it—”

“It  _ tastes  _ better!”

“And you never,  _ ever  _ enter my room without being invited.”

“That’s just polite!” Even as he said it, he knew it sounded like an excuse.

Tuuri folded her arms and waited. After a moment Reynir sighed. “I guess...those are a lot of coincidences. But I really didn’t know! How would something like this even happen? I think I would remember getting bitten by a vampire.”

“Maybe you didn’t. Maybe there’s some other cause. Could it be genetic?”

Reynir shook his head. “I don’t think so. I mean, none of my siblings have any of those problems, but they’re all adopted so that doesn’t help. My mom spends half her time outside in the garden and she never burns, only tans. And she  _ loves  _ garlic, but she never cooks with it because my dad and I…”

He trailed off, realization dawning. “My dad. He’s...also allergic to garlic. And he likes his meat rare, and of course he gets sunburned— he’s a redhead too. And he works the night shift because...bright lights...bother his eyes.”

“Do you think he knows?” Tuuri asked. “Your mom said you had a ‘curse’. What if she wasn’t just talking about sunburn?”

Reynir laughed, a choked, percussive sound. “How am I supposed to bring that up? ‘Hey Dad, I was wondering, do you have some fangs I don’t know about?’ They’ll think I’m crazy.”

Tuuri caught him by the shoulders and pulled him down until their faces were level. “Crazy or not, you’re going to ask them. Today. Because you need to find out what  _ exactly  _ this is.” She took a deep breath. “Especially since you  _ did  _ just bite me, and I’d really like to know if that means  _ I’m  _ a vampire now, too.”

* * *

 

Reynir’s parents’ house didn’t  _ look  _ like the lair of a blood-sucking immortal. Sure, it was set off in the woods, far removed from any neighbors, but the cheery yellow shutters and bright flowers bordering the path were anything but ominous. Inside was no different. Faded floral wallpaper, mismatched but well-loved furniture, delicate lace curtains in the windows. And Reynir’s mother, with her generous smile and greying blond braid, didn’t seem like a person harboring a secret. She poured tea and offered cookies, chatting about the weather and asking how classes were going. If she noticed that Tuuri was on edge and Reynir was quiet, she gave no sign.

“Your father should be up in a minute, he’s just finishing a project in the basement. More tea? You look like you could use it, you’re pale today.”

“It’f okay, ‘m fine,” Reynir mumbled. His attempts at talking without letting his teeth show had been less-than-successful. Tuuri would have laughed if the situation wasn’t so serious.

“More for you then, dear? It’s so nice to finally meet you, we’ve heard all about you from Reynir. How are your studies going?”

“Oh, they’re fine…I learn something new every day.”

“That’s good to hear. And Reynir tells me you always get top marks!”

Tuuri adjusted her scarf, hoping it hid what it was supposed to. “Marks. Yeah, I guess I do, hahaha…”

She was saved from having to come up with any further small talk by the sound of footsteps in the hall. A moment later a tall, red-haired man appeared in the doorway. “Reynir! Good to see you, son! And this must be Tuuri.”

Tuuri returned his handshake, marveling at how his hand dwarfed hers. He didn’t  _ seem  _ like a vampire. To all appearances he was a large, jovial man in flannel and denim, with sawdust caught in his sideburns. Not exactly a wicked creature of the night. 

“So what brings you two here today?” Reynir’s father asked, balancing a delicate teacup on his knee. “You were awfully cagey over the phone, Reynir.”

“Well, it’f...dere’f fomefing…” Reynir looked at Tuuri, begging her to help.

“I think you just have to show them, Reynir. It’s not something you can really...explain.” 

He sighed. “Okay. Mom, Dad...I think I’m...a vampire?” He let a nervous smile show, baring his newfound fangs.

Reynir’s mother inhaled sharply; she put a hand to her mouth. His father only looked resigned. “Oh, dear. I guess the curse didn’t pass you by after all.”

“You  _ knew?”  _ Reynir’s mouth dropped open. “But how did—why didn’t—I don’t—”

“You said something about a curse?” Tuuri cut in. She laid a hand on Reynir’s knee, and after a moment he put his hand on top of hers and squeezed. 

“It’s...hard to explain,” Reynir’s father said, “and it may sound crazy.”

“My boyfriend has fangs,” Tuuri countered, “Try me.”

Reynir’s parents passed a significant look between them—possibly they hadn’t been aware of the whole ‘boyfriend’ thing—and his father started the story.

“A long time ago, back when magic was considered a fact of life instead of fiction, one of my ancestors...got in some trouble.”

“He annoyed a woman who turned out to be a witch, you mean,” Reynir’s mother chimed in.

His father sighed and waved a hand. “Yes, that. Anyway, she put a curse on him: when he fell in love with a woman, he’d turn into a monster and suck the life out of her or die himself. The curse would pass down to his sons, and their sons, on and on until the family died out.”

“But...the family...didn’t die out?” Tuuri asked.

“No. I’m not sure what exactly happened in the early generations—it sounds like they really did have the full vampire problem at first, turning to dust if the sun touched them or going mad if they didn’t drink human blood. But the curse didn’t kick in until a man fell in love, and even then it seemed to be...well,  _ inconsistent  _ about when it decided to manifest. So the bloodline survived, and over the years the curse got watered down, I guess.”

Reynir looked back and forth between his parents, lip quivering and tears forming in the corners of his eyes. “So...does that mean...you and Mom aren’t...you don’t love each other?”

“Oh, no, sweetie!” Reynir’s mother rushed over to fold him in a hug. “Of course we do!”

Reynir’s father came to join them, wrapping them both in the wide circle of his arms. After a moment he reached over and pulled Tuuri in, too. “I love your mother very much,” he said, “which is why I can’t do outside work anymore, or eat garlic, and why I have to wear a mouthguard at night.”

Reynir sniffled and wiped his eyes. “Okay. I just thought...wait, isn’t the mouthguard to keep you from grinding your teeth?”

His father shook his head. “To prevent accidental biting.” He opened his mouth to reveal a set of fangs just like Reynir’s. “They don’t come out all the time. Just when I’m in the grip of a strong emotion.” He ruffled Reynir’s hair and kissed his wife on the forehead. 

“So Reynir’s fangs showed up because he...because we…” Tuuri couldn’t finish the sentence, but she was sure her blush gave her away.

“Yes, love, probably,” Reynir’s mother said. Then her eyes narrowed. “He didn’t  _ bite  _ you, did he?”

“Umm...a little bit?” Reynir’s face flamed red. “I didn’t know it would happen—I had no idea—”

“Let me see,” his mother said. Tuuri reluctantly undid her scarf to reveal the mark on her neck. She hadn’t wanted to explain the bruise before they’d explained the rest. If she was honest with herself, she hadn’t wanted to think about the bite at all.

“Hmm.” Gentle fingers prodded her skin. “It doesn’t look like it broke the skin. Was there any blood?”

“I don’t...think so? I can’t really remember, we were kind of freaking out about the fangs…”

“And have you noticed anything odd? Is the light bothering your eyes? The sun?”

Tuuri shook her head. “No, I feel fine, other than the bruise. Am I...does that mean I’m not going to turn into a vampire too?”

Reynir’s mother settled back with a sigh. “I shouldn’t think so. Usually it doesn’t work like that anyway. The curse is supposed to make him drain you of blood, not make you like him. As many generations as it’s been, it might not even do that. But in any case, as long as he didn’t drink your blood, you should be fine.”

A wave of relief washed over Tuuri. “Oh, thank goodness. I mean...sorry, Reynir, I know that still doesn’t change what’s happened to you, but—”

Reynir heaved a sigh and squeezed her in a hug. “No, it’s okay. I’m just glad I didn’t hurt you.” He looked up at his parents. “Well. I guess it’s a moot point now, but Mom, Dad, this is my girlfriend, Tuuri.” He kissed her cheek and smiled. “I wish I could have told you under better circumstances, though.”

“It’s probably just as well,” his father said, “If you’d introduced us to a girlfriend without showing a fang, we might have wondered...well. I’m just glad the two of you are happy together.”

Reynir’s mother wiped away a happy tear. “More tea, anyone?”

* * *

 

On the drive home, Reynir was quiet for a long time. Tuuri waited, and finally he said, “Are you really all right?”

Tuuri kept her eyes on the road, but she could feel his gaze on her. “Sure. It’s just a little bruise, it will heal.”

Reynir let out a breath. “I meant...you’re handling this really well. Better than I am, honestly. How can you be so calm about all of this? Curses, vampires—I’m some kind of blood-sucking nightmare now!”

Tuuri paused at a stop sign and glanced over at him. “You’re not a nightmare, Reynir. You’re still the same sweet man I’ve been falling in love with for months.” She reached over to run a hand through his hair. “And it turns out you love me too, so that’s nice to know.”

The anxious lines around his eyes softened. “I do love you, Tuuri. Should have told you sooner.” He laughed, then added, “though I guess as far as love declarations go, this makes one hell of a story.”

Tuuri snickered and turned her eyes back to the road. “‘How did you know he was the one?’ ‘Oh, you know, we were making out and he went for my jugular.’ Sure beats the usual love stories, doesn’t it?”

“I guess it does.” Reynir reached over and rested a hand on her shoulder. “But I do want to thank you. You’ve been amazing with all of this. Most people would be way more freaked out if their boyfriend suddenly grew fangs.”

“Heh. Well, wait until you meet my brother and cousin. Compared to what happens to them on the full moon, your little fangs aren’t much to worry about.”

“Wait...what?”

* * *

 

_ One Week Later _

Tuuri opened the door at Reynir’s knock. “Can I come in?” he asked.

She smiled up at him. “Of course, my love. Always.” She stepped aside so he could enter, tugging impatiently at his backpack. “Did you get them? I want to see!”

Reynir unzipped the bag and dug around, pulling out a handful of library books to get to the other contents. Tuuri picked one up and snorted at the title. “ _ All About Bats _ , Reynir? Really? Is this a new symptom?”

“Bats are cute!” He found what he was looking for and pulled it out of the bag. “And speaking of cute...have I mentioned how beautiful you look today?” He could feel the fangs pushing their way out, but instead of hiding them he smiled wide to let them show.

Tuuri smiled back. “You might have, but I don’t mind hearing it again.” She took a step closer, tracing a finger down his jawline. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed the corner of his mouth.

“Tuuri, be careful,” he warned. He wanted to pull her into a real kiss, fangs or no fangs.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Didn’t you bring protection?”

“I did, but they look kind of...silly.” He opened his hand to show her the little silicone covers.

“Aww, they’re blue! I like them. Do you need help putting them on?”

“If you don’t mind. My reflection’s getting harder and harder to see, so mirrors don’t help very much.”

Tuuri fitted the little blue covers over his fangs. She prodded the tips gently, then, satisfied, cradled his face in her hands. “How do they feel?”

“Good. They’re just fine.” With Tuuri looking at him like that, everything was fine. “Should we test them out?”

“We should.” She closed the gap between their mouths. This time, when he moved his mouth down to kiss the fading bruise on her neck, she didn’t shove him away. This time, when she pushed him back onto the pillows, there was no patch of sun waiting to burn his bared skin. This time, everything was perfect. 


End file.
